Hydraulic latch.



J. L. GARNETT.

HYDRAULIC LATCH.

APPLIOATIYO'N FILED D30. 5, 1912. v

' Patented Oct. 28, 1913.

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J. L. GARNETT.

HYDRAULIC LATCH.

APPLIOATION FILED DBO. 5, 1912.

Patented Oct. 28, 1913.

.DLUMBlfk PLANOGRAPN Co., WASHINGTON. D c.

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JAMES L. GARNET'I, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TQ EMIL A. PETERSON, OF

APPLETON, WISCONSIN.

HYDRAULIC LATCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 5, 1912. Serial No. 735,005.

To all whom it may concern: T

Be it known that I, JAMES L. .GARNETT, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis, State of Missouri, have invented new and useful Improvements in Hydraulic Latches, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in hydraulic latches, designed more particularly for securing the doors of baling presses, etc., but also adapted for use in any 7 relation where a latch of great holding power is desired.

The objects of my invention are to pro-, vide a form of latch which can be easily manipulated to holding position, but which will be unyielding in such position. Also to provide a form of latch which will yield without release, preparatory to its movement into releasing position, and thus not only permit a free releasing movement, but also avoid destructive reactions where the latch is subjected to a heavy pressure of material, capable of a degree of resilient expansion.

In the drawings my invention is illustrated as embodied in a balingpress, to secure the doors at the compression end of the box or casing.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of such a press. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a plan View with the cap removed, and the latches in holding position. Fig. 4: is a detail View of one of the latches showing a fragment of the door to which it is applied and showing the door supporting beams in cross section. Fig. 5 is a detail sectional View, drawn on line m:c of Fig. 4.

Like parts are identified by the same referenoe characters throughout the several views.

The baling press shown in the drawings may be of any ordinary form of construction, except as to the means for securing the bale releasing doors A, B, C and D. The press illustrated has front and rear walls'E and side walls F of which the doors area continuation. The walls are reinforced by angle iron or I-beams G, and the doors are similarly reinforced by beams H. and J, which are provided with hinge knuckles embracing the posts K. M are cap members, N a movable platen and O is a piston or piston rod extending through the bottom wall of the. press. All of these parts in their specific features of construction being unrelated to my invention, it is not deemed necessary to describe them in further detail. Itwill be observed, however, that the beams H of the doors A and B extend beyond the doors as indicatedat 2, and the inner faces of these extensions 2 are provided with cleats 4 against which the margins of the doors C and D respectively abut, at the ends opposite those to which the hinges are connected. Stirrup shaped latches 6 are adapted to be adjusted over the projecting ends 2 of the beams H, the latches 6 being carried by the doors C and D and arranged to cooperate with the cleats 4 to lock all the doors A, B, C and D together. Each latch 6 is hinged at 8 to a coupling member 10, which is pivotally connected with a pair of connecting rods or bars 12. The latch hinge 8 is adapted to permit the latch to swing over. the beam end 2 after which a pull upon the bars 12 draws it inwardly and binds the beam (and the door to which it is secured), firmly in position. v f

A cylinder 16 is mounted upon each of the doors C (or D), and a piston 18 therein is provided with a rod 20 projecting through the rear end of the cylinder and coupled at 22 to the bars 12, whereby movement of the piston backwardly or away from the position of the latch, draws the latch to locking position over the beam end 2, as above ex plained. Power may be applied to the piston by admitting liquid to the cylinder through a pipe 24:, past a Valve 26, which may be a three way valve, adapted to permit the liquid to exhaust through an outlet duct or port 28. A liquid such as water, being admitted under pressure to the cylinder, the piston will move backwardly and the latch, if in position on the beam 2, will draw the beam and the door to a tightly closed position. If no resistance is applied to the door. alight pressure of the liquid upon the piston will be sufiicient, and the pressure may be increased to any desired extent in case. the latch is employed to close doors against aresistance. When the door has been fully closed, the valve 26 may also be closed 7 door to open, the valve 26 may be opened for the escape of the liquid, whereupon the piston moves freely inwardlyand allows the latch to swing tree from the beam end here the pressure applied to the door is resilient as is the case with most baled mate- 3 hen the resilient pressure of the bale has been thus relieved, the latch may be removed from the beam end .as above explained. here great strains are encountered, the bars 12 are preferably supported in channels 30 in the cylinder wall. The piston rod is also preferably passed through the rear wall of the cylinder, serving as a pressure rod instead of a tension rod, and it may be short and heavy thus securing :a compact structure of great strength, in which packing is unnecessary except for the piston, the liquid receiving end of the cylinder being wholly closed, except at the inlet and outlet ports. The cylinder is preferably secured to the door by means of an angle iron chair 3%.

The cleats i in the beam ends 2 are provided in order that one latch may look two doors, i. e. a door which carries a cylinder and latch and a door which carries a beam J. Where only one door is to be locked by a latch supported from a fixed wall, the notch may be omitted. The specific structure of the latch and the part which it engages (the beam having a projecting end 2), are also to be understood as illustrated and described merely as preferred forms, where my lIlVGlltion is applied to a ba ling press and sub jected to heavy strains. Any suitable style of latch and catch may be used in substitution, as desired.

1. The combination with a door, a support, a latch connected with the support and adapted to engage the door, and hydraulic means for permitting a partial movement of the latch and door preparatory to the release of the latch from the door.

2. The combination with a baling press door of a support, a member mounted to slide upon said support, a door engaging latch pivoted to said member, a cylinder mounted upon said door, a piston therein connected with said member, whereby fluid may be admitted to the piston :to hold said member with the latch indoor locking position.

3. The combination with a baling press door, 0t a support, a member mounted to slide upon said support, a latch pivoted to said member and adapted to engage the door, and hydraulic means for actuating said member to lock the latch in door engaging position.

:1. The combination with a latch, of a device for receiving a body of liquid in position to prevent latch release from locking position, a latch actuating member adapted to be controlled by such body of liquid, means for delivering liquid to said device, and means for permitting its gradual discharge therefrom; said latch actuating member being adapted by its movement to permit a partial opening movement of the door preparatory to the latch releasing movement.

5. The combination with a latch, of a device for receiving a body of liquid in position to prevent latch release from locking position, a latch actuating member adapted to be controlled by such body of liquid, means for delivering liquid to said device, and means for permitting its gradual discharge t'heretrom, said latch being movable in line with its holding pressure, and also adapted for independent movement at an angle thereto.

6. The combination with a latch, of a liquid container, a movable member therein adapted :to be actuated by liquid pressure, connections between the latch and said movable member, said latch being also adapted to swing upon said connections into and out of locking position; and means for closing said container with a body of liquid therein.

7. The combination with a compartment provided with a door, a latch adapted to lock said door in closed position, a latch holding member to which the latch is pivoted for swinging movement into and out of locking position, means for moving the latch holding member to cause the latch to bind in locking position, and a liquid stop adapted to prevent a releasing movement of the holding member.

8. The combination with a compartment provided with a door, a compartment wall provided with a cylinder secured thereto, a piston in the cylinder, a door holding latch pivotally connected to swing into and out of holding position with reference to said door, connections between the latch and piston adapted to utilize movements of the latter to bind and release the latch when in holding position, and valve mechanism controlling the delivery and discharge of liquid to and from the cylinder respectively.

9. The combination with a pair of baling press doors, located in intersecting planes, of a member mounted to slide upon one of said doors, a latch connected with said member and adapted to engage the other door-and hydraulic means for actuating said member to hold the latch in door engaging position; said hydraulic -latch holding means being adapted to permit a gradual movement of said member and latch sufficient to allow the door to partially open preparatory to a disengagementof the latch,

10. The combination with a compartment such as the casing of a baling press, of a set of hinged doors forming the walls thereof and arranged in pairs with the swinging margins of the doors of each pair in proximity when the doors are closed, a swinging latch carried by one of the doors, a projection carried by the other'door in position to be engaged by the latch, a cylinder on the latch supporting door, a piston V therein, connections between the piston and latch,

and means for admitting liquid to and dis-' charging it from, the cylinder, said piston being adapted to move the latch in a direction at right angles to latch releasing movement;

In testimony whereof'I aflixmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

' JAMES L. GARNETT. Witnesses:

C. C. COLLINS, O. E. CARTER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, D. C. 

